East Flatbed Components Guard Against Corrosion, Reduce Weight
RANDOLPH, Ohio – February 15, 2019 – East Manufacturing, manufacturer of aluminum flatbed, drop deck, dump and refuse trailers as well as steel dump trailers and aluminum truck bodies, designs flatbed trailers equipped with components that reduce weight in addition to guarding against corrosion to increase life and residual value.
Corrosion Resistant is Standard
East uses 20-ml high-density polyethylene (or HDPE) plastic in conjunction with ECK® Corrosion Prevention Coating during the assembly process for every trailer. The HDPE is die cut to match areas covered and then both sides are coated with ECK. ECK is the only coating product proven to prevent dissimilar metal corrosion, preventing electrolytic reactions between aluminum and steel as well as other dissimilar materials. ECK prevents this corrosion in three ways; seals out moisture and the road de-ice chemicals, providing a barrier between dissimilar metals, and its Zinc powder and Zinc dust absorbs the natural corrosive energy. East also offers an aftermarket Anti-Corrosion Hanger Kit.
East Elite™ Wheel-End Assembly
Because of its reliable components, the East Elite™ Wheel-End assembly recently increased its warranty from 5-Year 350,000 Miles to 5-Year Unlimited Miles. The industry-leading parts used include Walther EMC’s Dura-Light Hub® (lightweight austempered1 ductile iron [ADI] hub), General Hyatt HM Bearing Cones, SKF Scot Seal Plus XL Seal and Retainer, Dual Dynamics Aluminum Hub Caps, Axiloc Unitized Wheel Bearing Nut System and it’s filled with synthetic oil, which resists high-temperature breakdown.
Trending to Lighter Weight
Efforts are constantly being made to reduce tare weight of East flatbed trailers. Emerging technology by suppliers and developments in new alloys and extrusion design continue to drive the effort forward to find ways to reduce the weight and maintain the efficiency of the equipment. East stresses the strength-to-weight ratio to provide maximum return to the investment dollar.
Truck-Lite 99® Series wiring harness is also standard on all new East BST, BST II, MMXTM and NARROW NECK flatbed trailers. The Truck-Lite 99 Series is designed as a closed system by integrating a molded plug with two sealing surfaces, rather than just one. This two-seal plug keeps moisture and debris out of the plug, guarding against corrosion. Truck-Lite is the first harness manufacturer to design a trapezoid-shaped connection, which makes installation quick and easy, and it allows the operator to be confident that he has proper pin alignment and a positive lock.
East uses Alcoa Ultra ONE™ 22.5 x 8.25 wheel as standard on all of its trailers specified with 22.5 dual-tire set-up. At just 40 pounds, the Ultra ONE™ Wheel is the lightest wheel in its class. The Ultra ONE wheel delivers unmatched strength for unprecedented weight savings. Its one-piece forged aluminum strength is five times stronger than steel wheels with a 7,400-pound load rating and 130 psi inflation rating.
And the JOST International AX150 Alumilight Series of landing gear is standard on all flatbed and drop deck trailers. With no external gearbox that can be damaged and affect performance, the JOST Alumilight series aluminum landing gear is up to 50 pounds lighter per set than competitive landing gear for added payload and corrosion resistance. Its 6061-T6 extruded aluminum upper leg combined with a Polyester-coated HSLA steel lower leg provides durability to stand up to the harshest conditions. The gearing mechanism is integrated into the sturdy leg column, so it protects the gearing and significantly minimizes water intrusion. A silicone-sealed steel cover keeps moisture out to further protect the landing gear from water and road chemical damage, and freezing.
In addition to its aluminum wheel and landing legs, East recently made aluminum air tanks standard on its flatbed trailers. Weighing 10.7 pounds less, the aluminum air tanks are made with less corrosive and lighter material than steel air tanks. Air tanks on flatbeds provide air pressure volume to operate the pneumatic system, including brake actuation and suspension performance (including lift axles, steer axles), tire inflation and more.Each East trailer (tandem axle) has a minimum of two tanks so a tandem-axle trailer has 21.4 pounds less weight. The more axles added to a trailer, the more tanks required. For instance, each lift axle and each steerable axle requires an additional tank. Since a multi-axle MMX flatbed trailer can have up to 14 tanks, the aluminum tanks reduce the trailer weight by 150 pounds
